1972 - You're Dead Without Money (13 page)

‘If he is going to try for the stamps, sir, he will still be in the City. This narrows the field. I will alert Lessing.’

‘I will leave it to you.’ Radnitz paused and stared at Holtz. ‘I’ve explained this to you because I want you to realize how important and how serious this operation is. If I get the stamps I will be in an excellent position to bargain with the Russians. The Kazan dam project is hanging fire. If I give them the stamps, they will give me the contract for the dam. It’s as simple as that. I don’t have to tell you how valuable the contract is. I expect to hear Elliot has been traced within the next twenty-four hours.’ By way of dismissal, Radnitz reached for the telephone receiver.

* * *

A lot of questions ran through Vin’s mind as he drove back to the bungalow.

Did Elliot know the real value of the stamps? Did Kendrick know? Just how much had Kendrick offered Elliot - a lot more than the fifty thousand Elliot was offering him, Cindy and Joey, that was for sure - but how much more?

Then he thought over the information he had got from Judy. The actual steal didn’t worry him. He was sure he could handle the alarms and the closed circuit TV but how to get hold of the register? Various ideas occurred to him, but each was dismissed as too dangerous. He decided he would have to consult Elliot. Vin knew his own abilities were not up to organizing a tricky steal like this. One slip, one false move and a million dollars would escape him. The thought made him sweat No, he would have to give Elliot some of Judy’s information. Then if they were successful and got the stamps, he would have to fix Elliot and also Judy. He had already made up his mind there was going to be no share out on this steal. It was going to be the Big Take for him and nothing for the rest of them.

He found Elliot, Cindy and Joey in the garden. They looked expectantly at him as he came over and took the fourth chair.

‘Where have you been?’ Joey asked. ‘We were getting worried. What’s been going on?’

‘Plenty.’ Vin grinned. ‘I’ve got this Larrimore babe eating out of my hand and I’ve got most of the info we want.’

‘That’s quick.’ Elliot looked startled. ‘You mean you’ve already talked to her about the stamps?’

‘Sure . . . it was a natural. She brought the stamps up herself.’

‘Has Larrimore got them?’

Vin pointed his finger at Elliot.

‘Just hold it, buster. . . I’ll ask the questions. How much did Kendrick offer you for these stamps?’

‘It’s not what he offered me that concerns you,’ Elliot said quietly. ‘You three agreed to work with me for fifty thousand dollars.’

Vin shook his head.

‘Not now, buster. I’m doing all the work. You couldn’t get to first base without me. These stamps are worth money . . . so let’s hear what Kendrick offered you.’

Elliot hesitated, then shrugged.

‘Two hundred thousand. As it is my idea and my contact, fifty thousand is a fair split for you three.’

‘You think so?’ Vin was very sure of himself. ‘I say no. It’s going to be better than that.’

Elliot looked at Cindy and Joey.

‘Are you satisfied with the split . . . do you want more?’

‘Never mind about them. I want more,’ Vin said, ‘and I’m going to get it. Here’s the new deal. I get fifty, they get fifty between them and you get a hundred.’

Listening, knowing that once the operation was concluded, he and Cindy would be rid of Vin, Joey said quietly, ‘That still puts you ahead, Mr. Elliot.’

Elliot thought for a moment. This cut in the take would mean a few months less to live and he realized he was now ceasing to care.

‘Okay, you have yourself a deal. Has he the stamps?’

‘Yes.’ Vin went on to explain about the register. ‘This is the problem. Without this index, we’ll never find the stamps. But once we know the number of the drawer containing the stamps I can get them.’

‘This isn’t our problem,’ Elliot said. ‘The deal I made with Kendrick is that if I can assure him Larrimore has the stamps and tell him how to find them, he’ll pay off. You’ve given me the necessary information. We don’t have to do anything more. It’s his problem to get the stamps. By this time tomorrow we will have the money and can get out of town.’

Vin squinted at him.

‘If a slob like Kendrick is willing to pay two hundred grand to you, how much do you imagine he is going to get when he sells the stamps?’

‘That’s his affair,’ Elliot said impatiently. ‘A hundred thousand is enough for me. I’ll see him right away, give him this information and arrange for payment’

‘Hold it! Suppose I tell you I can find out who the buyer is Kendrick is dealing with? Suppose I tell you this buyer would pay five hundred big ones and this could come to us instead of Kendrick?’

Elliot stared at him.

‘Do you know who the buyer is?’

‘I can find out.’

‘How?’

Vin grinned.

‘Don’t worry about that. I’m not kidding. I can find that out. Now listen, we would be nuts to deal direct with Kendrick. That slob will pay you two hundred and put three hundred in his pocket for nothing. With my info we can get the stamps and then we can sell them to Kendrick’s man for five hundred grand, cutting Kendrick out of the deal.’

Looking at Vin’s excited face and seeing the greed in his eyes, Elliot suddenly felt sure that Vin was planning to double-cross not only Kendrick but Cindy, Joey and himself. Just how the double-cross would work Elliot had no idea, but he was sure this was what Vin was planning.

He felt a surge of excitement run through him. This could be much more fun than living in debt and pitying himself because he had a tin foot. He had made six successful movies in which he, as the hero, had pitted his wits against thugs like Vin. The scriptwriters had taken care that his wits had always been sharper and that always in the end he had come out top. But now, this was for real: not a thriller that was put in a can and exhibited in the movie houses of the world. There would be no scriptwriter to take care of him. No director to shout ‘Cut 1’ when the going got too rough.

Okay, he thought, let’s see how smart you are. Let’s act this out as if it were a movie. What have I got to lose anyway? A few more months of life? If I don’t get the money, there are the sleeping pills to take care of the final fade out So I’ll pretend to play along with you. Could be I’ll be trickier than you think you are. At least, it could be fun . . . acting out one of my movies, but this time for real.

‘It’s an idea,’ he said. ‘So what do you plan to do?’

Vin moved uneasily.

‘Let’s take another look at this: we have now the chance of getting five hundred grand. Let’s work out a new deal. Joey and Cindy get a hundred and you and me get two hundred each. How’s about it?’

Joey was listening and worrying. A hundred thousand dollars! This was money beyond his dreams. He cringed at the thought of the prison sentence Cindy and he could get if this operation turned sour.

‘No . . . count us out!’ he exclaimed. ‘We’ve never done a job this big and we don’t want to do it now!’

Vin looked contemptuously at the old man.

‘Okay, then pull out. Elliot and I can swing it without either you or Cindy. So, okay . . . go back to your small time if that’s the way you want it.’

Cindy leaned forward, her eyes sparkling.

‘It’s not the way I want it!’ she said. ‘I’m sick of small time.’ She looked at Joey. ‘Okay, dad, if you want to pull out I won’t try to persuade you but I’m staying in!’

Joey stared helplessly at her, then he lifted his hands in despair.

‘Now, listen, baby . . .’

‘I’m staying in! That’s final!’

Joey looked at Elliot.

‘Well, Mr. Elliot, so we stay in, but how can we help? I don’t see how we come into this.’

‘That’s where the wonder boy earns his cut,’ Vin said. ‘I can fix the alarms and get the stamps if I know where they are. That’s my job and I can do it. Elliot has to dream up an idea of getting the register from Larrimore. If he can’t use you two, you’re out anyway. This take is strictly for workers.’

Cindy looked hopefully at Elliot.

‘We know Larrimore carries the register around in his inside jacket pocket,’ Elliot said after a moment’s thought. ‘At night the register is locked in a safe in his bedroom.’ He looked at Vin. ‘Right?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Joey . . . do you think you could steal the register off Larrimore if you got close to him?’

Joey didn’t hesitate.

‘Yes . . . that’s no problem.’

‘Suppose we have a demonstration.’ Elliot got to his feet and went into the bungalow. From the bookcase he took a paperback and put it in his inside jacket pocket, then he came back into the garden.

‘I have a book in my jacket pocket, Joey. Let’s see you get it.’

Cindy was on her feet and moving by Elliot she appeared to stumble and lurched against him.

‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘My foot slipped. Go on, dad, show him.’

Joey grinned uneasily.

‘It’s gone, hasn’t it, Mr. Elliot?’

Cindy was holding the paperback in her hand.

‘Impressive,’ Elliot said. ‘Okay, I’ll think about it.’

Leaving them, he went to his bedroom and lay on the bed.

He lay thinking, staring up at the ceiling for the next hour.

Then when Cindy called that lunch was ready, he got up and joined the other three in the small dining room.

‘Got an idea, buster?’ Vin asked as he cut into the steak on his plate.

‘The problem is to get to Larrimore,’ Elliot said. ‘He only goes out in his car. He doesn’t receive visitors, but I have an idea that might work.’ He looked at Cindy. ‘You would have to handle it. After seeing your demonstration I think you could do it. Here’s the idea: Larrimore gets a letter telling him the undersigned - that’s you, Cindy - has inherited a collection of stamps left to you by your grandfather. You have heard dealers offer little or nothing for valuable stamps. You have no idea if the collection is valuable or not. You are asking him as you have heard he is a famous philatelist, if he would look at the stamps and if there are any of interest to advise you. I think that is the kind of bait Larrimore might rise to. You’ll say your grandfather started the collection when he was young. That might make Larrimore think there could be a few valuable stamps in the album. He might invite you to call on him. If he does, then it is up to you to get the register off him. We know the stamps are indexed under countries. If you get hold of the register and while he is examining your stamps, find the CCCP section, you could be lucky to find the number of the drawer which contains the eight stamps we want. This is a long shot but it might come off. What do you think?’

‘That’s bright,’ Vin said, annoyed he hadn’t thought of this himself. ‘It could work.’

‘I’ll do it,’ Joey said. ‘I don’t want Cindy to do it.’

Elliot shook his head.

‘I’m sorry, Joey, but Cindy must do it. With her looks, she would throw Larrimore off his guard. A young girl coming to him for advice will flatter him.’ He looked at Cindy. ‘Shall we try?’

Cindy nodded.

‘Okay. I’ll draft a letter for you to write.’ Elliot looked over at Joey. ‘Will you go down to the waterfront and take a look at the junk shops there? I’m sure you’ll find an old stamp album full of trash that you can pick up for a few dollars. The older it looks the better. Then go to one of the better stamp dealers and buy three or four good stamps. They must be around 1900, not more recent. Tell the dealer you want to give them as a gift and you know nothing about stamps. Pay up to four hundred dollars. We’ve got to make this album a little interesting or Larrimore might get suspicious.’

Joey nodded.

Elliot finished his steak and pushed his plate away.

‘Now you, Vin . . . how are you finding out who the buyer is?’

Vin’s eyes shifted.

‘You can leave that to me. I’ll find out.’

‘That’s not good enough. We’re working together as a team. We want to know. How are you finding out?’

Vin thought quickly. He realized that without Cindy, he wouldn’t get the register. He had to be careful not to alert Elliot’s suspicions that he planned a double-cross.

‘Judy Larrimore knows who he is.’

Elliot cut himself a slice of cheese, then pushed the cheese plate over to Vin.

‘How did she find out?’

‘She read a letter she found on her old man’s desk.’

‘Why hasn’t she told you who the buyer is?’

Vin felt a trickle of sweat run down his face.

‘She’ll tell me. I’ve got to soften her up a little.’

‘And how do you do that, Vin?’

Elliot’s probing eyes made Vin look away.

‘I’ll fix it . . . leave it to me.’

‘Sorry, Vin, you’re not convincing,’ Elliot said. ‘Let’s get this straight. We’ve just made a deal . . . remember? We four are now partners. You’re holding something back. I want to know what it is. I want to know more about this babe who, you tell me, eats out of your hand.’

Vin shifted in his chair.

‘She wants money, but I’ll pay her off . . . I’ll do that out of my share. For a grand she’ll give me the name of the buyer. That’s all there’s to it.’

‘Then why didn’t you say so before?’

‘It’s a deal I did with her. Why should I bother you with that for God’s sake?’

‘So you’ve told her you are planning to steal the stamps?’

Vin took out his handkerchief and wiped his face. He saw Joey and Cindy were staring at him and there was suspicion in their eyes.

‘So what? Look . . . this babe hates her old man. She couldn’t care less what happens to his stamps.’

‘But she knows you are planning to steal the stamps?’

‘What if she does?’

‘You ask yourself that one, Vin.’ Elliot got to his feet. ‘I’ll get that letter drafted, Cindy.’ Turning to Joey, he went on, ‘Will you take care of the stamp album?’

The three left the room.

Vin hacked a slice of bread from the loaf and cut himself another piece of cheese.

‘I’ll have to watch this sonofabitch,’ he told himself. ‘He’s going to be tricky.’

* * *

Jack Lessing returned to his office. Holtz had given him an ultimatum: find Elliot or lose the Radnitz account and since the account was worth many thousands a year to Lessing and since his ten men had still found no trace of Elliot, he was more than worried.